


Unpaid Overtime, Unwarranted Altercation

by Dragon8Blade



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: Fenrir Being Extra AF, Gen, Gratuitous Violence, unit lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 06:48:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18005912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragon8Blade/pseuds/Dragon8Blade
Summary: The Gyze war might be over, but Susanoo nonetheless finds his hands full with a troublesome task.  It's certainly not how he'd planned to spend his weekend.





	Unpaid Overtime, Unwarranted Altercation

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place several months post GZ ending in cray timeline.

A cool breeze blows through the window of Susanoo's office.  He glances at the clock; it's late in the afternoon and about time to head home for the weekend.  He's been bored out of his mind since the beginning of this dreadful work week in which some higher-up decided to assign him to administrative duties "until further notice".

It had been a few months since the end of the 'Second Gyze War' and the return of peaceful days in the United Sanctuary.  Much of the recovery and rebuilding work had now been completed and things were finally settling down. 

Susanoo steps outside, enjoying gentle winds that blew through the gardens outside the building.  The late summer weather was lovely.  _ I'm gonna go home and sleep...maybe stop by the paladins' barracks first and spar with the knights first...oh, and I need a goddamn drink...hmm and a nice bath later tonight too. _

His pleasant train of thought is disrupted by a message tone from his communication device.  Susanoo reads the displayed text with some confusion.  _ Hmm?  A summons to CEO Yggdrasil's office?  That's weird. _

\---

It had been a rather paperwork heavy week and Susanoo really just wanted to go home,  but here he was, standing before the Genesis CEO in her office. "What did you need from me at this time of day?"  

Yggdrasil turns on the projector on her desk and brings up a document along with a map.  "The Genesis Conglomerate is to perform a large scale data transfer over the weekend. It involves the physical relocation of the main server to a new location as well as the reorganization of several memory cell blocks.  Furthermore, some of the ancient scrolls and tablets currently kept in here in the main building need to be moved out to the central vault. At some point during the process, a number of the protective seals and enchantments on the server will need to be disabled or undone.  We would like to minimize the risk of loss or damage during the transfer, particularly while in that vulnerable phase."

"How many people know about the transfer?"

"Only the high ranking deities and the personnel directly involved in the process were formally notified, however, the physical preparations could not all be done discreetly, so it is quite possible to infer that a data transfer was to take place given the unusual activity around certain sectors."

Susanoo raises an eyebrow.  He figured he wasn't called here just to be informed about the situation.  "You want me on the security team overseeing the move?"

"Something like that..." Yggdrasil gazes at the ceiling somewhat nervously, not sure how to continue.

Norn, who had been standing in the corner of the room spoke.  "CEO, please get to the point. Quickly."

"Right."  Yggdrasil clears her throat.  "We need you to keep an eye on Fenrir till tomorrow night."

"You want me to do WHAT?  On this kind of short notice?!  On my weekend?!!" 

"Lord Susanoo, please.  This task is of utmost importance given Fenrir's (unfortunately) keen insight and knowledge of the data network structure.  As you know, he is as unpredictable and destructive as he is capable and brilliant."

"Put him in a cage or something!  You can't pay me to watch your dog!"  Susanoo's hands slam onto the CEO's table.

"We absolutely CANNOT allow him to reside on the conglomerate's grounds or have any access to a data terminal during this transfer!  He needs to be watched, and by someone who has the combat ability to keep him in check. You know there is nobody better suited for this task than yourself!"

Susanoo pauses to think for a bit.  On one hand, it's true that he'd be the best person for this job, maybe even the only person, given his knowledge of most of the inner workings of Genesis's systems.  On the other hand, that's a whole day he's stuck with Fenrir, of all unholy and troublesome things to befall his much anticipated weekend off.

In the end, he decides he can't (at least, not in good conscience) allow anyone else to be assigned this task, lest they end up maimed or dead.

"I'll do it."  Susanoo finally relents, though not with any joy.

"Perfect!"  Yggdrasil turns her attention to a small floating display screen, her face showing a mixture of confusion and curiosity.  "I would ask you to go collect him and take him to your residence but......according to the tracking device we have implanted in his body, it seems he has already made his way there."

"You sent him there before I'd even agreed to take this job?!  What the hell?" Susanoo buries his face in his hand in disbelief, wondering just how much trouble this job was gonna end up being.

"Norn has told me to have more confidence in my own abilities.  I was determined not to let you walk out of my office until you had agreed!"  Yggdrasil says, avoiding eye contact with Susanoo in some display of both embarrassment and relief.

Susanoo leaves the building quickly, muttering swears on the way back home.  Being gifted with the knowledge that Fenrir was running about at his place, probably unsupervised, was NOT how he planned to start off his weekend.

\---

_ Well, it looks like the place isn't completely destroyed or on fire yet.  I should make sure everything is under control before sis gets home. _

Amaterasu and Susanoo lived in a fairly large traditional eastern style house, one with an ornate roof, a large courtyard, and an outdoor bath...and what was probably one of the strongest magical barriers to exist in the United Sanctuary.   _ Ah, that's probably the other reason they decided to leave Fenrir here. _

Susanoo swiftly makes his way through the courtyard, attempting to locate Fenrir as quickly as possible.  He finds the troublesome beast sitting in the common room...along with his companion high beasts, Hati and Skoll.  "Hey, nobody told me about  _ those two _ ."  Susanoo points a somewhat accusatory finger at the two wolf pups laying under the table.

"Now, is that any way to treat guests?  Besides, they just followed me here. What am I supposed to do, chase em off?"  Fenrir casually lays down on a floor cushion, content to play dumb about the situation, it seems.  Everyone present is aware that Hati and Skoll are perfectly capable of following orders like 'don't come along to crash poor Susanoo's place and help make his life difficult'.  

Susanoo takes another step into the room and notices an unpleasant chemical scent.  "Ugh, you smell like you dived into a bin of used up mana crystal batteries..."

"Heh, not a bad guess!  T'was actually the disposal site itself!"

"What the hell were you do--  Never mind." Susanoo decides he doesn't want to know why Fenrir went dumpster diving for hazardous materials.

"You smell like Altmile.  Have you two been havin fun without me?  I'm kinda jealous y'know..." The face Fenrir made almost qualifies to be called a childish pout.

"Sparring with the knights is my job."  Well, right now it wasn't, but Fenrir doesn't need to know that.  "You got to fight him just a week ago!"

"It's not enough!"  The look on Fenrir's face ALMOST qualifies as a childish pout.  Almost.

Ignoring Fenrir's complaint, Susanoo turns his attention to the pot of wine and plate of snacks on the table.  He watches Hati and Skoll tear into a bag of crackers, leaving crumbs all over the floor and cushions.

"Did you just...help yourself to anything that was lying around here?"

"Oi, oi, don't accuse me of casually raiding your kitchen.  Your lackey brought it to me."

Murakumo appeared in an adjacent doorway, as if solely to respond to the accusation.  "Master, he threatened us, you know."

Kusanagi came into the room at this time, carrying a tray of sweets and another pot of wine.  "He just raised his voice a bit and you got all scared! I just wanted to see if he could get drunk."

"You know deities can't get drunk off of regular booze!  And put that back! Don't give him anymore! Geeze, you even took out the good stuff..."  Susanoo puts a hand to his forehead in exasperation.

Murakumo raises an eyebrow at this statement.  "Fenrir doesn't have the same rights as the other deities of Genesis though?"

"If only that'd strip him of the powers of a deity."  Susanoo continues to bury his face in his hand as Fenrir snatches over the full pot of wine and begins to drink right out of it.

"So, what now, boss?"  Kusanagi asks, both him and Murakumo now standing before Susanoo awaiting further instruction.

"I think I need to be alone right now..."  Susanoo turns and walks right out of the room, sliding the door shut behind him.

He decides to check the kitchen, maybe to check what the damage was.   _ Holy shit, how much did they eat?!  Hm, what's this?  _  A note was left on the counter.

_ 'I'll be out on business till Sunday night.  Keep the place tidy till I return! -Ammy' _

_ Business my ass!  She probably got the news before I did and booked it outta here to leave me to deal with this crap alone! _

As he re-enters the common room, Susanoo is greeted by the sight of Hati and Skoll harassing Murakumo in a corner of the room (Kusanagi trying and failing to aid him in any useful way) as Fenrir continues to freeload more than a reasonable share of food for one evening.

_ I'm requesting a vacation as soon as this weekend is over.  Yeah...definitely... _

\---

Susanoo takes a look at the time.  It's only been 4 hours since he got home, and frankly, his patience is wearing thin.  It's been 3.5 hours since Fenrir started pestering him for a fight, engaging in all sorts of mildly destructive and progressively annoying activities when he doesn't get his way.  He's currently casually picking a hole in the floor mat.

"Just a quick fight, nothin more than a bit o late night exercise, eh?"  The 46th time, Susanoo counts.

"Piss off."

"If you won't fight me, then I'll just have to force you!!!"  Fenrir leaps out at Susanoo, claws aimed right at his throat.

Susanoo sighs in relief, not moving an inch.  "I was waiting for you to do that."

In the split second before Fenrir's claws made contact, a bright spark erupts from what would've been the contact point.  Orbs of divine light materialize and form into spears, all hitting Fenrir at once, immobilizing him immediately.

"What the hell......is..this?"

"Big sis's only contribution to this weekend's work."  Susanoo give Fenrir one look of pure pity as the light dissipated and beast slumped to the ground.

"It seems we are fortunate that lady Amaterasu left the Yata no Kagami's barrier field fully charged before heading out."  Murakumo emerges from his hiding place behind a screen door, visibly relieved.

Kusanagi pokes at the unconscious Fenrir on the floor.  "Is he dead?" He's kidding. Probably.

Susanoo rolls his eyes.  "I wish." He's also kidding.  Probably. In any case, he's aware that the magic barrier's anti-aggression defense system does not produce lethal hits.  "Catch his stupid pets and toss them outside. I'm going to sleep."

"What should we do with this guy, boss?"  Kusanagi asks.

"Just leave him there."

"Should he awaken during the night, are you not concerned that he may try to kill you in your sleep?"  Murakumo, as usual, is entertaining the worst possible scenario.

"The barrier field should be able to stop him 2-3 more times (although I doubt he'd try that again soon).  Besides, he's not the type to attack people while they sleep. It's no "fun" for him, you see? You two, don't wake me up till noon, or till the house is on fire or something, whichever comes first.  I'm going to sleep and then pretend to be asleep for as long as reasonably possible."

\---

True to his word, Susanoo doesn't leave his room until around noon of the next day, when Murakumo comes to inform him that lunch was ready.

_ About 8 hours til sunset...just 8 more hours...  _ "So, how's the situation?"  Susanoo follows Murakumo back towards the common room, anxious to see what damage Fenrir had caused overnight.

"Manageable, it seems.  I think Kusanagi has kept him occupied quite well since this morning."

_ Hm, this isn't as bad as I thought. _

Aside from a pile of dirty dishes (one of which was broken cleanly in two), the hole in the floor mat, bits of fur shed all over the floor, and the lingering smell of burned out mana crystals, nothing awful seems to have happened yet.

Fenrir and Kusanagi were in front of the TV, playing a video game.  "Boss! He beat your records in all these!" Kusanagi points to a not-so-small pile of video games beside them.

_ Hm, I don't like that.  Don't like that at all. _

"Oh, looks like the memory is full.  I guess I'll just---"

"Don't you dare!"  Susanoo barely has time to respond to those words.  He dives towards Fenrir and the controller in his hand.

"---delete this save file right 'ere"  Fenrir dodges Susanoo's desperate lunge and presses the button with a shit eating grin on his face.

"What did you just do?"  There's more disbelief than inquiry in this question.

There's a moment of silence and tension in the room as Susanoo just glares at Fenrir for nearly a whole minute.  His fists are clenched and a hint of seething rage was leaking out from under his stern face. He's been prepared for some sort of calamity to befall him today, but this definitely wasn't what he expected.

Fenrir smiles, apparently having gotten the reaction he desired.

"You wanted a fight?  You've got it." Susanoo upends the nearby table with his foot and picks it up, flinging it at Fenrir, who breaks it into several pieces with a kick.

"Murakumo!  Go tell Akagi not to let anyone in today until further notice."

"What if it's Lady Amaterasu?"

"ESPECIALLY NOT BIG SIS.  Stall her or something if she gets back early!"

Susanoo turns his attention to Fenrir again.  "Let's take this outside."

"Yer finally gettin serious, eh?"

Susanoo leads the way out the back door into a clearing in the garden that gets used as a training ground occasionally.   _ Better here than anywhere else, I guess. _

Amaterasu's barrier had another effect on the area.  It could prevent damage from being done from outside sources, as well as prevent damage TO outside areas FROM sources within the barrier.  As a side effect, the interference it creates prevents stride from occurring within the barrier's boundaries. In short, collateral damage would be minimized, even if Fenrir was involved.

\---

"Murakumo!  What are you standing around over there for?"

"Spectating?"

"Get over here already!"

Murakumo sighs and shifts into sword form, joining Kusanagi at Susanoo's side.

Susanoo points a sword at Fenrir, standing a few feet in front of him.  "Until one of us can't continue. That enough?"

"If you die, it ain't my problem."  Fenrir grins, calling Hati and Skoll to join his side.  "Let's hope all that desk work hasn't made you all rusty!"  They charge towards Susanoo to begin their attack.

Susanoo takes a ready stance.  "Not rusty enough to lose to you in my own yard."  He deflects their initial attacks with practiced ease.

The sounds of chain, blade, and claw clashing resound through the battlefield.  It takes several minutes before either of them is even able to land a single scratch on the other.  Susanoo, like many of Oracle Think Tank's deities, had some degree of ability to predict future events.  His ability was limited to just a few seconds in advance of an event occuring, although it was nearly perfect in accuracy and precision.  Fenrir's precognition was different. It was neither an oracle nor a revelation; a unique skill, born of his sharp instinct and quick calculations.

_ It's a good thing I can keep Futsu no Mitama within me to siphon power off of......probation hasn't dulled his combat ability one bit...   _ Susanoo knows he surpasses Fenrir in strength, stamina, and combat technique but...

"I'm surprised you can keep up with me, bein that slow!"  Fenrir taunts, knowing Susanoo's parameters quite clearly.  He dodges another heavy slash, counterattacking immediately.  His claw barely grazes Susanoo's shoulder. "How far into the future of this battle can you see?  3 seconds? 2?"

"I see enough to be able to deal with you!"  Susanoo retorts, even if the truth was quite a bit less favorable.   _ Tch, my prediction range is less than 1 second right now...He's fast...   _ "What's wrong, afraid you're gettin to be too predictable?"  Susanoo kicks Hati out of his way and cleaves apart several of Fenrir's attack chains.

"Heh, that should be my line, Mr. 9-5 desk job!"  Fenrir leaps into the air and holds out his crystal pendulum, conjuring several duplicates of the stone and tossing them towards Susanoo.

Susanoo shatters the incoming projectiles with his swords, almost immediately realizing his mistake as the shards scatter themselves across the field.  In the flash of light released by the crystals breaking, he'd lost track of Fenrir's location for a split second.

Countless chains, conjured from pocket dimensions, launched at Susanoo.  Each came from a different direction and angle, all of them targeting spaces specifically calculated to constrain his movements as much as possible.  The crystal shards in the ground now posed an addition hazard, making dodging the chains an increasingly difficult task.

"That mistake'll cost ya!"  Fenrir uses his own chains as a platform, jumping from chain to chain to attack Susanoo at a disorienting pace.

Susanoo keeps his focus, managing his defensive options and movements carefully, attempting to maneuver out of Fenrir's makeshift minefield.

"Shit!  Another one?!"  In a moment of carelessness, a single chain that Susanoo had overlooked caught his foot, halting his advance.  

Fenrir wastes no time in taking advantage of this opportunity to land a devastating blow.  Sharp claws, imbued with concentrated mana pierce Susanoo's chest. The sound of ribs breaking and flesh being torn apart, brought a smile of satisfaction to Fenrir's face.  "The source of this power......shall I tear it right out of ya?"

At that moment Susanoo experienced a strange and uncomfortable feeling, distinct from the obvious injury at hand; a feeling like his very soul was being touched and violated.  "!!! This is-- the skill you used against Altmile?!"

"Oh, you've heard it from him then?  I'm happy to have left such an impression!"  Fenrir's claw violently rips out an orb of concentrated mana from Susanoo's body, which was left to bleed on the ground.

The ability to grasp things that have no corporeal form; one of Fenrir's special techniques.  It could even destroy part of someone's soul. In this case, his target was...

"C'mon, you should be able to heal from that in half a minute!  Although, maybe ya gonna need a full minute without this here." Fenrir gestures to the immaterial cloud of mana surrounding his hand, which now, at his command had condensed to the form of a large sword; the Futsu-no-mitama.  "What a cute toy...if I'd known it could be used like THAT, I'd have taken it from that mountain a long time ago!"

"Master, this is quite an awful situation..."  Murakumo, now back in spirit form sat beside Susanoo, poking him in the shoulder repeatedly.

"Well, now that it's back in sword form, we can take it back, right?  It's not like he can use it..." Kusanagi, although the less worried of Susanoo's two attendants, doesn't sound that sure.

Kusanagi and Murakumo return to their sword forms as Susanoo slowly gets back on his feet, wound already visibly healing.  "In any case... We're all pretty damn screwed if we let Fenrir rob a sacred treasure from under our noses like this." 

Fenrir gives them an 'anything you can do, I can probably do better' smile, and without a second thought, condenses the sword back into mana, merging it with his own body.

Susanoo didn't see that coming.  It's as if Fenrir had made no plan to do such a thing until literally half a second ago.  "Idiot, you'll kill yourself like that!" He shouts at the insane beast before him.

"AAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!"  Fenrir lets out a pained cry as the divine sword's mana threatens to destroy him from within.  Several wounds form on his body and blood spills from his mouth as the uncontrolled mana surge dies down.  He manages to get back on his feet, looking at Susanoo with an unhinged sort of grin. "Susanoo!!! Let's see which of us dies here first!"

_ He's nuts.  That took me years to do.  He just...brute forced it. _

"He copied your skill?!  Boss, this looks bad..." 

Kusanagi doesn't have time to make any further comment before Fenrir rushes towards them at a blinding speed, far faster than before.  As Susanoo moves to avoid the first blow, he sees the second coming nearly simultaneously. Even with his ability to predict some of Fenrir's attacks, he realizes he can't keep up with this pace.  It took all his effort just to block and dodge Fenrir's attacks. There was no chance of creating an opening to counterattack.

_ Did he learn how to do it just by fighting me!?  No, he hasn't done it perfectly...he can't control Futsu-no-mitama's power at all.  It's still damaging his body when he draws mana from it...If I could just hold out until the sword's power takes its toll on him... _

"What's wrong?  Not gonna hit back?!"  Fenrir's attacks are savage and unrelenting.

_ Time to switch strategies.  You're not the only one who has experience with utter disregard for safety. _

The next attack comes at him, but this time Susanoo doesn't fully dodge it.  As Fenrir's claws connect, his movement slows just enough from the hit connecting for Susanoo to deal him a solid blow as he pulls back.

"A hit for a hit.  We're trading blows my way now!"  Susanoo tries to sound confident, although he knows that one bad read and Fenrir's hit and run might just deal him a finishing blow.

"Fine with me!  I'll play your game!"  Fenrir isn't deterred, releasing a greater amount of mana to increase his attack speed further.  They trade hits nearly 1 to 1 for a while. But this battle wasn't in a steady state. Slowly, Susanoo begins to have more difficulty tracking Fenrir and returning his hits.  The chains were becoming harder to avoid as well.

"What's going on?  He should be getting worn out!!"  Kusanagi sees the shift in the battle.

"He is, but...I can't see into the battle's future anymore.  Because it's Fenrir." Susanoo finds himself back on the defensive.

Helheim's Curse.  That's what it was called it in the world of deities.  Fenrir and his siblings were born with a power that subconsciously alters the fate of those around them at times.  Functionally speaking, it was a power that could distort prophecies and revelations. Because of this, they had always been kept under close observation by the Genesis higher ups.

_ Under constant surveillance......I wonder if that's why he ended up...like this-- _

"Pay attention!  Ya left yerself wide open!!"  Susanoo doesn't have the time to react before Fenrir's knee crashes straight into his back, sending him into the path of several chains.  Susanoo feels the mana imbued chains cut into his skin as they immobilize him, suspending him in midair, a few inches off the ground, disarmed and completely at Fenrir's mercy.  Kusanagi and Murakumo were caught in chains as well, now stuck in sword form.

Susanoo hears Fenrir's footsteps behind him, approaching slowly.  "Is that all? Thought you'd have more fight left in ya than this..."  He struggles against the chains, trying to break free, though with no success.

Fenrir leans in closer to lightly run his claw over Susanoo's neck, leaving a thin red line in its path.  "What a nice scent...your sweat and blood and--"

"You're disgusting."  Susanoo spits out a mouthful of blood.

"Am I?  We're more alike than you think.  Don't think I don't know that you left Oracle Think Tank after the invasion war in search of 'worthy opponents'.  Oh, but that wasn't the first time you did that either, was it?" Fenrir paces around Susanoo, maintaining his composure despite the divine sword's mana threatening to tear his body apart.

"I had other reasons for my departure... It's...not as simple as you think it is."

"The fact that we're fighting now is proof that you gave in to your lust for battle!  How else would the barrier have allowed it?"

"..."  

Susanoo notes that Fenrir had closed the distance between them again, face barely inches away.  Bright blue eyes with the glow of dense and uncontrollable mana stare into his own. He can't tell if Fenrir is completely in control or had completely (willingly) lost control of his own power.  It's an unsettling feeling.

"In the end, you're no different from me."  Fenrir tells him, knowing how much Susanoo hates hearing it.

"...the dose makes the poison."  Susanoo calmly starts gathering the surrounding mana (left there by Fenrir's very presence) into his body.

"??!" Fenrir senses it, something is off...  _ Is he trying to attempt a stride fusion?!  Impossible, he can't link himself to the future from inside this damn barrier! _

"I'll admit, I've instigated my fair share of fights, but your record puts mines to shame.  Theft, assault, arson, high treason, what haven't you done yet in your search for entertainment?  I don't need a fuckin lecture from someone who treats murder like a personal hobby!"

Taking advantage of the fact that Fenrir had leaned in pretty damn close, Susanoo swiftly headbutts him in the nose, hoping to earn a couple seconds to free himself.

_ I've got one shot at this. _

Susanoo steadies his breath, and focuses his energy skywards.  "COME FORTH! DIVINE SWORD, AME NO MIHASHIRA!" The space above him distorts, the called upon divine sword emerging from the hole rended in the sky.  

It falls from that hole, severing the chains holding him in place.  The shockwave caused by the sword's descent knocks Fenrir away, giving Susanoo just enough time to free Murakumo and Kusanagi from the chains.  At this time, Hati and Skoll charge at them, daggers at the ready.

"Kusanagi!  Murakumo! Hold off those two, I'm gonna try to end this in one strike!"

Susanoo's attendants shift into their spirit forms in response.  "Master, the barrier can't absorb much more energy--!!!" Murakumo, voicing some valid concern as always...is quickly interrupted by a sharp dagger that barely grazes his neck.  

"It's fine, you two just worry 'bout yourselves!  I'll finish this quickly!" Susanoo tightens his grip on Ame no Mihashira, a sword he hasn't wielded outside of stride for a few thousand years.  Its form, its weight, its mana, still felt familiar to him.

_ He doesn't have enough stamina left to go on much longer.  I should be able to sever his link with the Futsu no Mitama. _

Sure enough, Fenrir is gathering his mana into a powerful aura around his claws, readying a probably unblockable attack.

Susanoo follows suit, synchronizing his own mana flow with the divine sword in his hands.  "This is the end... HEAVENLY DOMAIN'S JUDGMENT!!" He charges forth, sword glowing with divine light.

"Your end, that is!!!  GODSLAYER CHAOS FANG!!!!"  An aura resembling Fenrir's wolf form shrouds his body, his claws cloaked in mana like azure flames.  He jumps high into the air, diving down to attack Susanoo from the skies.

As their attacks collide, a blazing light envelops the battlefield.  The sound of Amaterasu's barrier, which protected the area, could be heard shattering from the overload of energy it had absorbed.  

\---

Susanoo opens his eyes to Kusanagi and Murakumo standing above him, looking rather worried.

Murakumo breathes a sigh of relief.

"Fenrir!  Where's Fenrir?!"  Susanoo asks, suddenly remembering the battle that had just taken place.

"It looks like you beat him up pretty good!  He's been out this whole time." Kusanagi points over at Fenrir who is still unconscious, laying on the ground in his beast form; a large wolf with a bright blue crystal on his head.

"I've never seen him like that...is that his true form?!"  Kusanagi pokes Fenrir curiously with a stick while Murakumo tries (futilely) to take the stick from him.

"Don't do that.  I'd rather he NOT wake up now.  Hm, he probably heals faster in that form...maybe his body just does that by itself."

"Master, are your injuries severe?" Murakumo asks, still quite concerned.

"My shoulders hurt.  I'm going to go take a bath."  Susanoo gets up and walks towards the direction of the outdoor bath, hoping it hadn't been damaged too badly by the fight.

He doesn't get more than a few minutes of peace and quiet in the soothing warm water before he spots Fenrir approaching now back in his humanoid form.

"Who knew there was a mana rich spring here of all places?  Maybe I should drop by more often..." 

"Please don't."

Fenrir ignores him, stepping into the bath.  

"If you wreck anything else here, I'll seriously kill you this time.  I'm probably in enough trouble as is when big sis gets back." It's meant to be a threat, but Susanoo is too tired for it to sound like one.

"Must suck to have the oracle's CEO as a big sis.  Everyone's expectations of you are pretty high." Fenrir gives Susanoo an annoyingly smug look while moving closer to antagonize him.

"Aw shut up.  At least I don't have siblings who've hid in the ends of the world to avoid being associated with you."

"Jormungand just does that sort of work cause he doesn't like bein around people."

"That's his way of isolating the influence of Helheim's curse, isn't it?  It doesn't affect the souls of the dead, after all."

"Tch, to each their own.  Helheim's curse ain't my fault and ain't my problem."

"Hel is able to control it though.  You probably could too...if you gave enough of a damn to try."  Susanoo shoots an accusatory look at Fenrir.

"You're right, I don't give enough of a damn!" Fenrir admits shamelessly.

"Would it kill you to apply your talents in a civilized and meaningful way once in a while?"

"Did ya forget my stand against Chaos Breaker Dragon?  Besides, I'll decide for myself what's 'meaningful' to me."

Susanoo can't deny that it was indeed Fenrir's timely intervention that saved Altmile's life in that battle...but it's not as if that was Fenrir's intent...maybe.  He decides it's best not to think too hard about how Fenrir's sense of logic and priorities works.

\---

Sometime in the following morning, Amaterasu returns home to find a note on the table.

_ Going on vacation.  Will come back when I feel like it.  -Susanoo _

She smiles, and with a sigh, starts to survey the damage done to her house.


End file.
